Although not set to become available in the US until September and only suitable for two of its HD DVD players, the HD-XA2 and HD-A20, the firmware promises to support a 1080p HD image resolution running at a frame-by-frame display rate that matches the speed at which film is traditionally shot.

UK HDTVs more commonly display 720p and 1080p images at 25fps, while US screens run to 30fps. In each case, the result is a movie that plays faster, with sound at a higher pitch, than it would in the cinema. With so-called '24p' playback, there's no such distortion.

Toshiba equips each of its HD DVD players with an Ethernet port and so, come September, users will be able to download the firmware for their players. You'll also need a TV capable of 24p output, such as Sony's D3000 Bravia LCD series.